Although I was initially very skeptical about the performance of the Snapdragon X Elite and didn’t think it could replace Apple’s ARM chip, after two weeks of testing the seventh-generation Surface Laptop, I realized that this laptop is definitely on par with Apple.
For two weeks, I went through a severe technological existential crisis. I’ve always been a fan of macOS and Apple laptops because I’ve used the Apple platform for decades, but the new 7th-gen Microsoft Surface laptop with the Snapdragon X Elite processor blew me away. And that’s a good thing.
For years I used Windows and macOS as desktop operating systems. I refuse to become a fan of any particular company or brand, and I believe we have reached a stage where we can do anything, regardless of the operating system used. But it is true that I always choose a Mac because of its stability, design and software usability.
The launch of the Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite platforms is changing the laptop landscape. Qualcomm’s new ARM processors are already in several devices, such as the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, and although I have my doubts about performance and battery life, I want to have the first experience of Snapdragon in a laptop.
Don’t be fooled by the simple design, because its strength lies in its simplicity
The seventh-generation Microsoft Surface Laptop has a minimalist design that appeals to users looking for a laptop that works for both work and play, as well as those who want a simple, modern design.
It is 17.5 millimeters thick and weighs 1.34 kilograms. It’s not the thinnest or lightest, but it’s not an overly bulky laptop either, and you can easily fit it in a backpack or handbag. Plus, its charger isn’t too big either.
It comes in platinum gold and black, as you can see from the photo. The bad news is that it picks up fingerprints as easily as you would expect. The good news is that they are not as visible as on other laptops (like the MacBook Air).
On the left side are the port jacks and on the right side is the charging jack. We can testify that in 2024 it is possible to manufacture slim laptops with traditional ports, but unfortunately they are still necessary, such as USB-A.
I still have my doubts about the usefulness of the Surface Connect port on the right, which in practice you will only use to charge the battery, although it can also transfer data when connected to the official dock. I can’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to add two USB-C ports? I don’t think anyone would complain about that change.
The keyboard is excellent and very comfortable for long typing sessions. I wouldn’t say it’s a soft keyboard, but it’s not linear either. I typed a lot of words on this keyboard and found it very pleasant.
It also has a large touchpad that doesn’t suffer from false or incomplete inputs. It makes a precise click no matter where you press, and right-clicks can be done with two fingers. It also supports multi-touch gestures.
It features wireless Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, the latest standards needed to connect to the internet and any wireless device (such as a keyboard, mouse, headset, or even speakers and printers).
It also has a traditional USB-A port, two USB-C ports that are Thunderbolt 4 compatible and can charge the battery, a headphone jack and a Surface Connector port for charging the battery.
Bright, fast touchscreen in 3:2 format
There’s nothing to say about this screen compared to the previous generation. It’s 13.8 inches and has the high resolution that Microsoft calls PixelSense Flow.
I stand by my opinion that the 3:2 screen ratio is a sensible choice for a laptop. It’s a bit on the tall side, but that’s the pixel count needed to browse websites or documents. The 2304 x 1536-pixel resolution is a bit of an oddity, with a density of 201 dpi, which is a bit lower than the 224 dpi of the 13-inch MacBook Air, but again, the high resolution makes for crisp, smooth text.
The 120Hz refresh rate is a staple feature for a laptop of this type and price range, and there’s a touchscreen too, though I didn’t really benefit from it, as I sometimes used my fingers on the screen out of habit.
The Snapdragon X is the missing link in laptops, with excellent battery life and performance.
We usually discuss performance first in our laptop reviews, but this time I want to do the opposite and start with the battery.
The 13-inch Surface Laptop 7 comes with a 54-watt-hour battery that Microsoft says can play video for 20 hours, but that doesn’t really tell you anything. Battery life depends on each individual and their usage habits, but I can tell you that so far, no Windows laptop has been able to match the battery life and performance of my MacBook Air M3 chip. So far.
Depending on usage, especially on quiet days, the Surface Laptop 7’s battery may still show over 50% power at the end of the day. With intensive computer use and high-performance software, such as 20 open Chrome tabs, Excel and Photoshop, as well as applications that I consider “everyday applications” such as Slack, Telegram, Edge (yes, I use two browsers at the same time) and Spotify, I end the day with 30 to 40 percent battery power remaining.
In practice, I can work continuously for 3 to 4 hours like this.
This laptop’s battery life is closely related to its performance. The key is that ARM-based processors (like Apple’s M3 or M4 chips) and Snapdragon X Elite and Plus are not as powerful as desktop Intel and AMD processors, but they consume much less power.
That doesn’t mean they perform less, despite their lower power. During the weeks of intensive use of this Surface Laptop 7, I never noticed a lack of performance, lags or other problems, which is quite rare since not all programs are compatible on the new platform.
This is the result of a static test, and compared to ultraportables in the same class, the Surface Laptop 7 performs very well.
One of the problems with this Snapdragon X Elite is the heat. Unlike Apple chips, when the Surface Laptop 7 is at full capacity, the processor generates heat, not like an Intel processor, but the underside gets warm enough to notice. This is something that has not happened to me yet with a MacBook Air M3 under the same conditions, which does not get warm even when exporting video in 4K.
During my weeks of testing, I never managed to get the internal fan to go so fast that the noise was noticeable. Something that no laptop with an Intel processor can say. Even with games, it’s silent.
Gaming on a Snapdragon X Elite is possible, although you will encounter problems
Let’s talk about gaming on a laptop that is not officially ready for gaming. The reality is that this Surface Laptop 7 is ready for gaming, although as it is such a new platform and game developers optimize for Intel and AMD processors, you will encounter glitches.
For example, I was surprised at how well GTA V runs on this laptop, with a stable 30 to 35 FPS and in “Very High” graphics quality. Although the FPS drop dramatically in Ultra quality.
Not all games are compatible with Windows on ARM. For example, Halo Infinite, developed by Xbox Studios, is not yet compatible. Also Elden Ring, because they require an anti-cheat that is not yet compatible with ARM. My recommendation is that you visit this website which tells you which games are compatible and the level of playability.
Windows 11 on ARM works perfectly, but there are still some programs that fail
Windows 11 is fully prepared to work with Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips, and also includes some special tricks of these processors thanks to its NPU, the processor focused exclusively on algorithms and artificial intelligence.
While all Microsoft software works perfectly, not all software works correctly. There are incompatibilities in some programs, although Microsoft includes Prism, an emulator that allows programs designed for x86 to be used on ARM.
Although much of the software is fully compatible and, at most and rarely, the only problem you will encounter is that it does not perform as well as on a computer with Intel or AMD, you should be able to install all programs that do not require installing anything in the Windows kernel.
But as happened to Apple users with the arrival of the M1 chip, users who buy a Snapdragon X laptop will have to be more careful with the programs they download, looking for a native version for ARM on the download page.
One of the features of Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite is the ability to add sound and video effects in real time. In Windows 11, this translates into tools for video calls.
Now, natively and without having to activate anything in Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet (among others), you have the portrait blur effect from Windows, as well as improved lighting and even the ability to add creative effects.
But Microsoft sells this laptop, together with its partners such as Dell, HP or Asus among others, as a computer with Copilot+ and, yes, Copilot+ is the future of Windows, as my colleague Roberto Corrales says in his review of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, but, as it stands, it is not very useful.
Microsoft has asked manufacturers to change the Menu key to a Copilot key on their keyboards to launch this tool, but right now, knowing that it is a fairly new utility, all it does is open a window that directs you to the Copilot website. What a waste.
And yes, you have the integration of Co-Creator in Paint which, with a sketch, generates an image with generative AI and, in the future, Memories of You. I’ve used the first one twice and I didn’t even remember it existed until I wrote these lines. The second one, although very useful, remains to be seen if it will finally reach all computers due to its privacy issues.
Is it worth buying a Microsoft Surface Laptop 7?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 has not only become a laptop with a great performance and noteworthy battery life, but it is also one of the best options among all-rounder laptops and among the first batch of devices with Snapdragon X Elite, thanks to its design and screen.
There is still some way to go before Snapdragon-powered laptops achieve 100% software compatibility, but seeing how these first models are performing, I have no doubt that — at least in laptops — the future is Snapdragon/ARM, while Intel and AMD will be left for high-performance laptops and desktops.
Considering that the base model is available for 1,200 euros with a Snapdragon X Plus and 256 GB of storage, it is a perfect laptop for students and for people who need a laptop to work with Windows and that has a very good battery.
